Why companies want to build data centers and mirrors in space

Two distinct efforts are emerging in orbit. One company, Reflect Orbital, is developing a satellite with a large mirror designed to reflect sunlight to specific locations on Earth. The stated goal is to provide extra light after sunset or before sunrise for activities like emergency response or to boost solar power collection. Separately, other firms are working on orbital data centers, which are satellites equipped with high-powered computer chips capable of performing AI inference—the process where an AI uses its training to make decisions or process information—directly from space.

The challenge of moving these operations to space is immense. An orbital data center is effectively a server farm adapted for the harsh vacuum of space, where electronics must be protected from intense radiation and heat must be carefully managed using cooling radiators. Reflecting mirrors face a different technical hurdle: accurately aiming sunlight from a moving satellite to a precise target on the ground. Both efforts are currently hampered by the scarcity of rocket launches. Because there are only so many rockets capable of reaching orbit, companies are finding it increasingly difficult and expensive to secure the space needed to deploy their equipment.

While these projects could provide unique tools, they come with significant concerns. Astronomers have warned that large reflective surfaces will brighten the night sky, potentially making it impossible to see stars and disrupting animals that rely on natural darkness. Furthermore, there is no global authority to regulate how these satellites operate or how much they might affect our environment. As more companies move to treat space as an industrial workspace rather than just a place for observation, we are forced to decide if the convenience of orbital computing or artificial daylight is worth the risk of fundamentally changing the nighttime environment for everyone on Earth.